(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display device.
(b) Description of Related Art
A liquid crystal display (LCD) device is one of the most widely used flat panel display devices. An LCD device includes two panels provided with field-generating electrodes such as pixel electrodes and a common electrode and a liquid crystal (LC) layer interposed therebetween. The LCD device displays images by applying voltages to the field-generating electrodes to generate an electric field in the LC layer, which determines orientations of LC molecules in the LC layer to adjust polarization of incident light.
The LCD device further includes thin film transistors (TFTs) and a plurality of signal lines for transmitting signals to the TFTs, which include gate lines transmitting gate signals, data lines transmitting data signals, and storage electrode lines supplied with a common voltage and overlapping the pixel electrodes.
The LCD device further includes a plurality of spacers forming a gap filled with the LC layer. The spacers include bead spacers irregularly spread over the panels and columnar spacers or rigid spacers regularly arranged on the panels.
The columnar spacers are usually formed of a photoresist film by coating, light exposure, and development. The columnar spacers are usually disposed on opaque members such as the signal lines and the thin film transistors.
The LCD device is often subjected to pressure or impact. The impact may make the columnar spacers slide out of their initial positions, and the spacers try to recover their positions due to their elasticity.
However, the spacers may not return to their initial positions and may remain at the distorted positions if there are obstacles such as steps in the returning path. Consequently, the orientations of the LC molecules near the spacers may be distorted and cause light leakage.